Pretty Decent Concepts
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The prolific company behind the acclaimed airplane-themed bar, Carry On, and hotspots like downtown’s Cleaverman and Tempe’s Filthy Animal will bring even more dining and drinking destinations to the Valley before the decade closes.
In the nine years since debuting their first restaurant, Chico Malo, Pretty Decent Concepts‘ roster has exploded. The group, founded by Teddy Myers, his wife Kaitlin and business partner Thor Nguyen, now runs 10 restaurants and bars around the Valley.
Soon, the company will build an “immersive, multi-experience environment” in Old Town Scottsdale, per a news release. The team has also signed on to develop a rooftop restaurant in downtown Phoenix. The restaurant will crown the upcoming high-rise, Arro, which, once built, will be the tallest tower in the state.
Don’t start looking for reservations to either of these yet-to-be-named spots anytime soon. The Old Town project won’t debut until fall 2027, while the Arro project isn’t expected to be completed until 2029. But another of the company’s projects is nearing completion.
The Tempe restaurant Roman God of Fire and its hidden bar Forgive Me, Father, are on their way. The restaurateurs anticipate opening the Italian-inspired space they’re creating with celebrity chef Scott Conant by late July or early August, Teddy Myers says.
Here’s what to know about Pretty Decent Concepts’ newest projects.
TJ Perez
‘Biggest, most ambitious’ project in Old Town
Pretty Decent Concepts plans to remake a former Wells Fargo Bank on Scottsdale Road and Third Avenue. The 16,000-square-foot space will play host to “three to five” concepts under one roof.
“It will be our biggest, most ambitious project to date,” Myers says.
George Oliver, a Phoenix-based real estate development firm, asked Pretty Decent Concepts to rethink the vacant building, which sits just north of the firm’s redevelopment project, Arbor Old Town. That 350,000-square-foot project promises office space with amenities including a fitness center, a game room and two spots to grab coffee or a cocktail.
Myers is mum on specifics of the multi-concept project, but offered some teasers, quipping, “I can say we’re not opening another steakhouse in Old Town.”
The team plans to anchor the building with a large restaurant showcasing wood-fired cooking. Similar to other Pretty Decent Concepts spots, the Scottsdale space will also host a separate cocktail-focused destination that plays off the main restaurant’s theme.
There will be a second, much more intimate restaurant, too, Myers says. The response to the 16-seat beef omakase, Uppercut, and Carry On’s 30-person jumbo jet lounge inspired the addition in Scottsdale.
“Being able to do things on a more intimate basis, it’s a special moment,” Myers says. “Our guests are loving that sort of experience now.”
Pretty Decent Concepts will work with PETERMAX once again, to create a “luxe, otherworldly” vibe, Myers says, “but not in a space way.” The design firm brought Carry On’s retro airplane, the tropical jungle of Filthy Animal and the gilded rooms of Cleaverman and Filthy to life.
“It’s going to be completely original and feel special,” he adds.
Myers and the team are excited to reimagine the standalone building in Old Town.
“For us, it’s always been about what is the best piece of property, the best canvas for us to go and create an interesting concept for a community we want to spend time in,” he says.
Curt Kremer, founder and managing partner of George Oliver, called the project “an opportunity to create one of the most compelling hospitality destinations in Scottsdale,” in a press release.
“Pretty Decent Concepts shares our belief that great spaces are built around experience, not just use,” he said, “and their ability to shape energy, design and culture within a concept makes them an exceptional partner for this project.”
A downtown rooftop restaurant
While they’re developing plans for Scottsdale, Myers and his team have also signed on to another downtown Phoenix concept. The restaurateur initially sat down with Geoff Jacobs, a managing partner of Aspirant Development, to discuss a different project. When the restaurateur learned that Jacobs’ team plans to build the state’s tallest building, he pitched a restaurant on the top floor.
The yet-to-be-named eatery and accompanying cocktail lounge will span the 16,000 square feet of rooftop space.
Though Myers isn’t sharing details about the cuisine, he notes the restaurant “will feel more high-end, it will be more special occasion.” A “sunset-themed,” west-facing bar will complement the restaurant, Myers says.
Once guests step off the elevator, they’ll see an east-facing, multi-floor, tiered, amphitheater-style dining room overlooking downtown and out toward Camelback Mountain.
“No matter what seat you’re in, you get a great view,” Myers says, noting that can be a problem at rooftop restaurants. “We want every table to be great and to enjoy the view.”
Pretty Decent Concepts’ top-floor project is one piece of the 1.8 million-square-foot development, which will include two towers: one 541 feet tall, the other at 425 feet. The duet high-rise, located on Second Avenue between Van Buren and Fillmore streets, will feature apartments, a hotel, office space, shopping and other dining spaces.
Empire Group’s Aspirant Development anticipates breaking ground on the project this year and completing the buildings in 2029.
“From its scale and architectural presence to the caliber of partners we’re bringing to the table, every element of this project has been thoughtfully considered to deliver something truly transformative,” Jacobs said in a press release. “This is the kind of development that signals where Phoenix is headed.”
